While families are endeavoring to get the best care for their aged ones, nursing homes in Atlanta are trusted to be the safe, supportive, and loving providers of the environment that the elderly need. Sadly, a number of families find out, sometimes very late, that their dear ones have been neglected, maltreated, or abused by the people who are supposed to take care of them. Abuse in nursing homes is not only a heartbreaking issue — it is against the law and it must be dealt with by the legal system without delay. The importance of a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Atlanta in such situations cannot, therefore, be overemphasized.
They are a legal force of the first line in defense of the senior citizens, hard at work, uncovering the incidents of abuse, taking the wrong-doing institutions to court, and giving support to the victimized families both morally and materially. Due to the increasing number of elder abuse incidents all over Georgia, it has become imperative that families be knowledgeable about their rights, able to identify the warning signs and know the exact time of resorting to the law.
Table of Contents
What Does the Term Nursing Home Abuse Mean?
Nursing home abuse is a broad term that characterizes any purposeful or careless action which in the residence of the facility results in physical or mental harm of the patient. The abuses can be in any of these four types: the physical, the psychological, the financial, or the sexual. The reality is that most of these abusive situations occur at home without the knowledge of the outer world. Which is why, generally, the revelation of the same comes at a stage when the damage is beyond repair.
Examples of nursing home abuse are:
1. Physical Abuse
This category comprises any behavior that physically hurts the body e.g. is that of hitting, kicking, binding or stuffing a person. Rashes, broken bones, or sudden physical weakness which a person cannot explain are common signs of physical abuse.
2. Emotional or Psychological Abuse
Intimidation by words, being made to feel worthless, the use of fear, isolation, and psychological manipulation can result in cases of severe emotional debilitation, depression, anxiety, and stopping of communication.
3. Neglect
Neglect is a situation where personnel deliberately or unintentionally do not provide or meet the necessary requirements for the patient. The instances could be lack of hygiene, poor nutrition, dehydration, infections without treatment, and bedsores.
4. Financial Abuse
The abuse may involve bank accounts being accessed without permission, forging a signature, stealing the owner’s personal stuff, or forcing the owner to make changes to the will or to the beneficiaries.
5. Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse is any sexual act that is forcefully performed on a helpless senior and such acts must be alleviated without delay.
Indicators of Nursing Home Abuse
Relatives of the affected persons have to be in a state of constant alertness to detect changes in the behavior or physical condition, for instance. Some of the most common red flags that can be mentioned here are:
- Fast weight loss
- Bedsores or unhealed wounds
- Poor personal hygiene or dirty rooms
- Social interaction withdrawal
- Along certain staff members the victim may be apprehensive
- Unexplained monetary transactions
- Wrong dosing of medicine or over-sedation
In case you observe these signs, it is important first to talk management, then document the evidence, and finally, get legal counsel from a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Atlanta.
Why Nursing Home Abuse Happens
Most of the time, the abuse is caused indirectly by the above listed factors, which may be generally recognized as a result of the neglect of the most vulnerable in the nursing homes, the elderly. Namely, under the litany of reasons for abuse at the specific localities one can find the following: under circumstances of understaffing and bad training of staff incriminated personnel may seem to be the main protagonists in maltreatment that in turn is associated with high employee turnover, negligent hiring, lack of oversight, and profit-focused management.
- Understaffing
- Poor training
- High employee turnover
- Negligent hiring
- Lack of proper oversight
- Profit-focused management
By cutting corners, some nursing homes save on things like staff, which in turn can be insufficiently trained, and consequently, the residents are exposed to harm without the knowledge, care, and safety that they should normally receive. In this case, to redress this, a lawsuit will probably have to be filed.
How a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Atlanta Can Help
An experienced lawyer on your side is the best choice in court for the family and the victims to be and to get the proof of mistreatment and thus the protection of the people we love the most. Take a look at the ways of the intervention of an attorney:
1. Investigating the Abuse
Legal counsels do not spare any effort in making use of the knowledge and experience of medical professionals, conducting investigations, and even talking to witnesses to gather the following evidence:
- Medical records
- Surveillance footage
- Staff reports
- Photos of injuries
- Financial documents
2. Filing a Legal Claim
Your lawyer will take as a starting point the factual and legal elements of the case to come up with the most effective and orderly plan either of filing a personal injury lawsuit, a wrongful death claim, or making a complaint to the state agencies of Georgia.
3. Holding the Facility Liable
The accusation of nursing homes’ neglect, abuse, and poorly thought employment practices is susceptible to be proved by evidence which in turn leads to social and moral responsibility. Such liability can be accompanied by:
- Physical injury
- Emotional trauma
- Medical expenses
- Relocation costs
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages
4. Ensuring Safety for Your Loved One
Lawyers foster and guide families in the process of taking their kin away from the place, ordering the administration of the facility to take urgent safety measures if not allowing the transfer.
5. Maximizing Compensation
The attorneys that have the necessary experience and role skills will get on with the job in negotiating which is a skill and not just a mere exercise, and effectively with the nursing homes, insurance companies, and legal teams with the aim of achieving a full and rightful compensation for the losses of the harmed party.
Laws in Georgia That Safeguard the Elderly in Nursing Homes
Georgia imposes several regulations on nursing home care that include, but not limited to:
- Georgia Bill of Rights for Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
- Federal Nursing Home Reform Act
- Mandatory reporting laws for elder abuse
These legislations are aimed at ensuring that the medical care given in the facilities is adequate, facilities are safe for the inhabitants, and residents are treated with respect. If these laws are broken, then the offended party is entitled to take legal action.
Actions to Take in Case You Suspect Abuse
In a situation where you notice signs of abuse of your relative, do not wait and take proper steps:
1. Document Everything
Put together as much evidence as you can – take photographs, make recorded notes of incidences, keep track of financial records, and obtain statements of witnesses.
2. Report the Issue
Communicate the problem or idea to the nursing home administration in person or by phone, or letter. In addition, you may submit complaints to:
- Georgia Department of Community Health
- Local law enforcement
- Adult Protective Services
3. Get Medical Help
Make sure that the person in question is provided with the necessary medical interventions as soon as possible if he/she is injured or neglected.
4. Reach Out to a Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Atlanta
An attorney’s advice and support are indispensable for ensuring that the resident’s rights are upheld and that there is no further harassment or mistreatment of him/her.
What Are the Benefits of Having an Atlanta Lawyer Represent You in These Situations?
Elderly care attorneys in Atlanta specializing in the field of abuse may have a better grasp of:
- The local and federal laws
- Health care regulations and their adherence
- Insurance providers’ strategies
- The Georgia facilities’ neglect situation patterns
Their knowledge empowers them to construct solid arguments and take the initiative to fight for the highest amount of recompense for the family members.
The End
Improper treatment of aged people in nursing homes can cause immense emotional, physical, and financial harm to their families. The latter become, however, a powerful tool for justice once caregivers who were trusted to protect vulnerable seniors fail. The hiring of an Atlanta-based nursing home abuse lawyer may be a way out for the families as this professional is at their service to investigate and uncover the truth, provide protection to their loved ones, and pressure the negligent facilities to take responsibility.
The elderly that are dear to you are entitled to be safe, treated with respect, and taken care of properly – and by having the appropriate legal backing, you will be able to guarantee that justice is achieved.
